In the latest number of The Catholic Herald, the best Catholic news weekly in the UK, there are some interesting stories.
I see the online edition, which is really useful!
I’ll just do a stream of first impressions about things that catch my eye.
They have a nice format for this paper.
First, the engaging Anna Arco writes above the fold on the SSPX maelstrom. I like the subtitle: "Dramatic move draws criticism from Jewish groups but is praised by leading European bishops". Yes! Let us not forget that some think that Church unity is a good thing!
Also, Mark Greaves reports (p. 1) that Tridentinum, which made the historic "St Charles" vestment for Pope Benedict, will also make one for you! For 5000 euros. I’ll take … four.
On page 2 I read that a new memorial to the Tyburn Martyrs is being planned, at the site of the infamous gallows, "Tyburn Tree", on Oxford Street in London. What happened to the old one? Ideas about the form are being debated.
Ironically on the same page is a story about a C of E theologian preaching at St. Chad’s Cathedral in Birmingham and it is noted that there will be a training day for priests to celebrate the TLM 20-23 at Ushaw College, Durham.
More on the SSPX thing on page 3, this time Mark Greaves focusing on Catholic Jewish relations. There is a prominent photo of Rabbi David Rosen … gesticulating. You can move down the page to a story on Williamson and his opinions and then… my my… an excerpt of something I wrote for this blog, a little Q&A on the status of the SSPX now that the excomm’s are lifted.
I note with interest that they advertise that you can follow the Catholic Herald on Twitter: @catholicherald. Do that right after you start following @fatherz
Page 4… I am starting to sound like Paul Harvey… Edward Pentin has a note on the Vatican’s "gamble". There is also a comment on the economic pinch in clerical shops in Rome.
They picked up for page 5 a story by CNS’s Cindy Wooden on the use of modern tools of social communication to "spread the faith". Okay. Count me in. Furthermore, they let people know about the Vatican’s new YouTube channel.
The new fine editor of L’Osservatore Romano, Gian Maria Vian, is featured on p. 7.
On page 8, in advance some a new appointment to the See of Westminster, which Fr. Tim Finigan would handle very well, thank you, there are profiles of past Archbishops of Westminster.
I learned on p. 10 that Archbishop Nichols plays the French Horn and that a medieval chapel in Wales has been restored. Cool photo. I should visit Glastonbury. Never been to Wales.
Page 10 also writes of a Catholic Studies program at Hope University in Liverpool. There are Catholic Studies programs being implemented in the USA too, sometimes, ironically, at Catholic schools. Good trend.
Will Heaven’s Notebook on p. 12 talks about the Church waking up to Web 2.0. Oh? Evidence?
Also, Alcuin Reid’s piece on the SSPX is reprinted in full. The blogosphere has had it for a while.
Page 14 sports a review of a new movie, Revolutionary Road. and on p. 15 I saw an ad for a book I don’t know about: Pius XII: The Hound of Hitler by Gerard Noel.
Since I am quite interested in Shakespeare, I noted on p. 16 the piece on
"Bringing the Shakespeare of architecture back to life" to discover that it was a review of a book about the St. John Vanbrugh. Might be worth a glance.
Also there is a note on the BBC production out on DVD of Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. I have been looking at their productions of the Jane Austin’s Sense and Sensibility as well as Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, which were good.
Page 17 has an interesting feature: Prayers of the Week. This time it is Prayers to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. They also give the liturgical calendar for both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Form!
Next, page 18, we find boxes on Magisterial Teaching (a bit by John Paul II) and a saing (St. Bridget). At the bottom at the bishops’ engagments. You might be interested to know that tomorrow, Feb 6, you can find Bishop Roche in Horsforth.
Stuart Reid, who has written about yours truly in the past, has a column on guess which SSPX Bishop. He recounts having meet then Fr. Williamson in the 1970’s for a drink along with a friend. Hijinx ensued. Reid pretty much laughs off the kooks among traditionalists, mentioning in passing that his son has a workmate who thinks that the world is rule by lizards. Then Mr. Reid suggest kindness and mercy.
Just a few notes as I scan through the paper.
